SDCC: Iron Man 3 – new suit, same attitude

Just a flood of Iron Man 3 news out of Comic-Con this year. Here’s the highlights: Ben Kingsley is playing The Mandarin, Iron Man has a new suit (the Mark VIII, for those who are counting), there are certainly some Extremis elements. But first, this image leaked right before the doors opened for Preview Night on Wednesday– Marvel’s centerpiece on the floor was this amazing display:

What’s that? In the middle? A NEW SUIT? And its colors are reversed?  WTF?

Simply amazing. I’m not sold on the reverse color scheme, but it’s growing on me.

But as if that isn’t enough, Robert Downey Jr kept showing up in places he wasn’t announced to be and doing awesome things.

First (and this made me really jealous I wasn’t there), Marvel held a costume contest just for kids dressed up as Iron Man. And who shows up to judge?  Well, videos speak louder than words:
“>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyQpS0GrxWE

Did you see that nice shot at the end of the armor?  Yeeaaaah. . . . .

As if that wasn’t enough, RDJ crashed the Hall H presentation by Marvel as well.  Suddenly the hall was filled with the dulcet tones of Never Too Much by Luther Vandross as a triumphant Downey sashayed up on stage, high fiving fans as he went.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dsKLEC6cng

Awwww, they cut the video off right before we saw the footage!  Reports from the hall said we saw glimpses of Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin and Guy Pearce putting the moves on Gwyneth Paltrow. There was also an extended scene between Downey and Jon Favreau with him discussing how humiliating it is telling people he’s Iron Man’s bodyguard. He later described the Happy Hogan acting he’s doing as very liberating (not having to worry about directing as well) and like doings “Swingers at 40.”  There was also footage of Tony Stark experimenting with his new armor and pieces of the suit flying through the air to attach to him– think like the experimenting scenes from the first Iron Man except more. . .uh. . .extreme? And here’s one final wrapup of everything else:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-hldp3aluk

And. . . some more pictures.